Salwan Momika, man behind 2023 Quran burning, shot dead in Sweden
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A Stockholm court was set to rule on Thursday whether Salwan Momika, an Iraqi refugee known for burning Qurans at multiple protests, was guilty of inciting ethnic hatred.
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Infamous Salwan Momika waves the Swedish flag outside the Iraqi embassy in Stockholm, where he planned to burn a copy of the Quran and the Iraqi Flag, on July 20, 2023. (AP)
A man who repeatedly burned the Quran in Sweden in 2023, triggering widespread outrage in Muslim countries, has been shot dead, according to media reports on Thursday.
Police confirmed that a man had died in a shooting the previous day.
Five people were arrested on Thursday in connection with the incident late on Wednesday and ordered detained by a prosecutor, Swedish police said on their website. They did not say if the shooter was among those detained.
Salwan Momika, 38, was shot in a house in the town of Sodertalje near Stockholm, public broadcaster SVT reported, citing unnamed police sources.
A Stockholm court was set to rule on Thursday whether Salwan Momika, an Iraqi refugee known for burning copies of the Quran at multiple protests, was guilty of inciting ethnic hatred. However, the decision was postponed until February 3, with the court stating that "because Salwan Momika has died, more time is needed."
Police reported that they were alerted to a shooting in the city of Södertälje, where Momika resided. The incident took place indoors, and upon arrival, officers found a man who had been "hit by shots" and "was taken to hospital," according to their statement.
Swedish media reported that Momika was streaming live on TikTok at the time he was shot. A video seen by Reuters showed police picking up a phone and ending a livestream that appeared to be from Momika's TikTok account.
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